The herein disclosed invention is directed to fishing lures which are to be employed to allow for catching fish more efficiently.
From time immemorial fishermen have made improvements and perfected means for more efficiently catching fish. Fishermen have employed various types of baits and various scents to attract fish to the hook. Artificial lures that attract fish are commercially available. A method presently in use simply sprays the attraction scent on the lure, then the spray-scented lure is used to catch fish. It is not difficult to understand that this method of spray-scenting a lure is inefficient because the scent is rapidly washed away by water surrounding the lure.
Rivard (U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,947) discloses a scented fishing lure designed to controllably release fish attractant during trolling in a body of water, thereby attracting fish. The fishing lure has an internal cavity into which fish attractant is introduced through an entry aperture. When the lure is being trolled, water enters through the entry aperture, flows through the internal cavity and disperses out through an exit aperture flushing out a small amount of fish attractant with it. A baffle located within the internal cavity controls the flushing of the fish attractant.
Mounsey (U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,572) shows a lure with a bait containing compartment. The bait is fed into the compartment with a syringe or gun. There is a valve built into the device to prevent premature discharge of attractant.
The device of the herein disclosed invention is distinct from that of Mounsey in that the inventive device of this invention depends upon a needle disposed within the lure to penetrate a seal at the end of a tube to release attractant. With the device of this invention, there is no need to use an expensive syringe to inject the attractant. In addition with the use of tubes of this invention, there will be less handling and therefore less waste of attractant. The needle and punctured tube of this invention is obviously simpler to use.
Morita (U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,575) teaches a fishing lure wherein a scented capsule is placed and contained in a chamber within the lure. In order to be used a pin is inserted into the capsule to allow the oil to escape from the capsule and thus the lure is ready for fishing. The Morita device is inefficient because with a single pin-hole in the capsule the fluid therein would have difficulty escaping because of a vacuum created in the capsule. On the other hand, the inventors have invented a fish lure wherein a check-valve has been incorporated for facilitating the release of attractant from the vial.
Thomas (U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,756) discloses a prepared fish food package removably mounted on the shank of a hook. The package is in the form of a tube having separate compartments for the bait. These bait compartments are used sequentially by the fisherman by merely puncturing the tube nearest to the hook.
Brown (U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,658) discloses a fishing lure with a hollow internal cavity for containing attractant which is able to leach through holes built into the lure. The lure has the smell and taste of natural baits for the purpose of attracting fish. Different models are provided. Each has a hollow lure body containing cut up or ground up frozen bait or else replaceable cotton saturated with a combination of liquid fish extracts for salt or fresh water fish. The body is perforated with openings, so that the scent can ooze out of the lure body gradually and into the water.
Walker (U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,609) teaches a fibrous material in recesses formed on opposite sides of the lure. This fibrous material is impregnated with a scent for attracting the fish. The scent is gradually dispensed into the water as the lure is moved forwardly.
Gibbs (U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,907) discloses a lure having an internal bladder holding attractant which can be released by virtue of pressure differentials. The expanding (and contracting) bladder is coupled to the lure body by a valve, thereby providing a metered discharge passage for the attractant in the bladder.
Gruelle (U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,235) shows a scent-dispensing fishing line. The lure has an internal cavity receiving a fish-attracting liquid. An inlet port at the front end of the cavity allows entry of the water into the cavity. The water is mixed with the scent and is discharged through an outlet opening at the rear of the cavity in the lure.
Lawler (U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,370) teaches an artificial bait comprising a pellet having a paraffin base as a carrier. The paraffin is melted and mixed with a fish oil, molded into the desired shape, and cooled. The bait is part of the hook and may be tailored for attracting crabs, fish, lobster, crayfish, etc.
Bommarita (U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,906) discloses an inflatable bladder with the scent under pressure therein. The scent is released in the vicinity of a lure. The release of the scent is at a controlled rate.
Polley (U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,459) discloses a scented fluid stored in a float tank at the water""s surface. The scent is released into a fish-like bait body below the water surface through a tube. This bait body has gills through which the scented fluid is discharged into the water to attract the fish.
Buccilli et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,411) discloses a fish-attracting pellet connected to the line. This pellet is made from a material which slowly dissolves in the water. Alternatively, the pellet may be made of a non-porous but soluble material impregnated with fish-attracting pastes and liquids. The shank of a hook may be embedded in the pellet.
All of these prior art references, while interesting, have certain disadvantages and deficiencies; and to the best of our information and belief, are not commercially available nor widely used.
None of the prior art patents show a lure having a special hollow needle arrangement disposed within the lure to receive a diaphragm-capped tube with the tube having a check valve and containing fish attractant. The lure with such a tube is to be used for dispensing liquid fish attractant.
The herein disclosed invention has as a primary object the supplying of a fishing lure which will efficiently and economically supply an attractant-scent.
A further object of this invention is to provide a fishing lure able to meter out specific quantities of fish attractant while in the water.
A special object of this invention is to provide a kit of color coded vials containing designated attractants.
A main object of this invention is to provide an easy to use method of applying an attractant to a fish lure.
The invention is directed to a fishing lure able to efficiently dispense an attractant.
The invention in its broadest sense envisions a scent releasing fishing lure comprising a fishing lure having a compartment containing a hollow needle (needle valve) with a point and being able to pierce the cap of a vial containing fish attractant so as to cause the release of attractant from the vial.
The lure has a elongated body having an anterior end and a posterior end, and a compartment within the lure having disposed therein a hollow needle or needle valve for receiving a vial of attractant. The compartment has an anterior passage opening for inserting the vial of a attractant and posterior opening having fixedly inserted therein a needle valve.
The invention envisions a method of fishing comprising (1) providing a fishing lure with a hollow compartment containing therein a hollow gauge needle having a point for puncturing a rubber or plastic diaphragm on a capped vial containing attractant liquid; (2) inserting said capped vial into the compartment such that the needle point of the needle valve punctures the cap of the vial allowing attractant liquid to be free to escape through the hollow gauge of the needle or needle valve and employing the lure and escaping attractant liquid in a fishing operation.
The invention also envisions a method of constructing a fishing lure comprising supplying a hollow gauge needle having a point end and a posterior end and molding a fishing lure around the hollow gauge needle such that there is a compartment at the point end of the needle for receiving a rubber or plastic capped vial and an opening at the opposite end of the compartment for receiving said rubber or plastic capped vial. The hollow gauge of the needle being able to puncture said rubber or plastic capped vial allowing for the escape of attractant out of the posterior end of the needle during a fishing operation.
A significant component of the herein described invention is a kit containing tubes of liquid attractant in which the tubes in the kit are multicolored with each color identifying a specific attractant relative to a specific fish species, and wherein the tube has a puncturable diaphragm at one end and a check-valve at the other. With this kit, the fisherman is able to select by color the tube most effective for catching a specific type of fish.
An important aspect of the invention is a kit containing a fishing lure which releases liquid attractant comprising (a) a fishing lure having a hollow compartment containing a hollow needle valve with a point and being disposed so as to be able to pierce the cap of a tube containing liquid fish attractant and (b) a container containing a series of multicolored vials with a specific color vial identifying a specific liquid attractant. The tube has a cap at one end and a check-valve at the other.
A broad aspect of this invention contemplates a tube able to contain a liquid fish attractant wherein a check valve is attached to one end of the tube to assure that attractant leaves the tube through the proper end, at the proper time, and the other end of the tube has a punturable diaphragm.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings.